Automatic telegraph-transmitter



(No Modem E. VAN HOEVENBERGH.

AUTOMATIC TELSGRAPH TRANSMITTEl.. 110.281,410, Patented July 18, 1882.

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(No Moda.) I RYAN HOEVBNBERGH. l AUTOMATTGTBLGRAPH TRANSMITTER. 110.261,410.- Patented July 18, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY VAN HOEVENBERGH, OF ELIZABETH, 4NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC TELi-:GRPH-TRANSMITTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 261,410, dated July 18, 188.?. Application tiled May 16, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may conce-rn:

Be it known that I, HENRY VAN HoEvEN- BERGH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Telegraphic Transmitters, of which the following is a specification.

rIhe object of my invention is to provide an automatic transmitting-instrument wherein the key or circuit-closer is actuated by means of successive perforations in a prepared pattern-strip,with suitable devices for controlling the-movements of the pattern-strip, thereby especially adapting the instrument to the use of students of telegraphy. y

My invention consists generally in provid-l ing an automatic transmitter with independent devices for imparting an advance and retrograde motion respectively to the patternstrip,"and with means for bringing either device into action and simultaneously throwing the other device out of action.

It also comprises a motor for actuating the mechanism, and a device for regulating the speed of the same.' f v In the accompanying'drawings, Figures 1 and 3 are plan views of the -apparatus in posii tion for operating the transmitting-key and for reversing the motionof the pattern-strip, respectively. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus, and'Figs. 2a and et show certain details of construction of the governing mechanistn and the transmitting-key, respectively.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a suitable case for containing and supporting the mechanism of the transmitter.

B represents a train of clock-work for propelling said mechanism in the manner hereinafter described. The clock-work is driven by a coiled spring, b, or other suitable motor, which maybe wound, when necessary, by means of a. key applied to the post b. A governor, C, for regulating the speed of the clock-work, is connected therewith by a toothed wheel, b2, and pinion b3, and consists of two bent arms c c, pivoted at their respective angles to the shaft of the governor, each one of which is provided at its lower extremity with a weight, c',

for holding the arms in their downward position. Each ofthe arms c is also provided with ai exible spring, c2, which is secured at its lower extremity to the shaft of the governor, and at its upper extremity encircles and is movable along the arm. The-springs c2 allow the arms c to be thrown outward from the shaft of the governor, but assist the weights c in normally holding them in their downward position. Upon the upper extremity of' each arm c is placed a small friction-pad, d, of rubber or vother suitable material, supported at right angles to the shaft and adapted to rub against the under surface of an adjustable friction-disk or plate, D, and by its friction prcventa too rapid movement of the mechanism. The plate D slides up and down upon a post, e, in the frame of the mechanism, and is normally pressed upward by a spiral spring, E, surrounding tl1e post. Against the upper surface ot' the plate D rests a vertically-movable pin or rod, f, extending upward through the top of the case A, which engages at its upper extremity with an adjusting-cam, as shown at F. This cam consists of a cylinder, the lower edge of which is cut into a spiral form, as shown in Fig. 2. The cam Fis secured to the case A by a screw,f, and is provided with an arm,f2, for turning it in either direction, thus forcing the pin f to a greater or less distance downward against the plate D and regulating the pressure between the friction-plate and the pads d against the tension of the springs c2 and the weights c.

The governor C, which revolves continuously` arbor to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrow.

At a suitable distance from the train of clockwork is placed a reel, H, for holding the pattern-strip I, by means of which the transmitting-key is actuated. This reel is mounted upon an arbor, h, extending through the case A, and having its bearin g in a suitable bracket, h2. Within the case A, and in the same plane with the pulley h,a second pulley,h3, is mounted upon the arbor h', and the two are connected by means of a belt or cord, h4, the normal tension of which is not sufficient to couvey a positive motionfrom the pulley h to the pulley h3 and the reel H, but which may be tightened, when required,by means of an idlewheel, J, as hereinafter explained.

The pattern-strip I, which has previously been perforated by means of any well-known and suitable mechanism for the purpose with a series of long and short perforations, t', grouped in combinations to represent the letters of the Morse telegraphic alphabet, is led from the reel H through suitable guides, m m, and under the point of the transmitting-key K, from whence it passes over the roller G, against which it is pressed, when the instrument is employed for transmitting, by means of ajockey roller, L. The jockey-roller L is carried upon the end of a movable arm, Z, and is normally held against the wheel G by means of a tension-spring, Z', with sufficient pressure to cause the patternstrip I to be drawn from the reel H by the friction of the roller G and passed under the key K.

The transmitting-key K consists of a thin metal plate or bar, which is pivoted at or near the center of its length to an adjustable arm, 7:. It is provided at one end with a beveled point, k2, which, under the influence of a teusion spring, k3, falls through the successive perforations i in the pattern-strip I as the latter is led from the reel H across the face of a stationary' slotted post, M. Whenever the point k2 enters one of the perforations ta contact-point, a, at the opposite end of the key, touches an adjustable insulated contact-screw, N. The key and the contact-point are respectively connected by means of the wires l and 2 with the binding-screwsP It. Thus it will be understood that if areceiving-instrument, S, be included in the circuit of a battery, O, the opposite poles of which are connected with the binding-posts P and It, the circuit will be closed during the time that each perforation t' of the pattern-strip I is passing beneath the point k2, and the duration and frequency of the electrical impulses in the circuit will correspond with the length and number of the perforations. The letters, words, or messages upon the pattern-strip may thus be interpreted by the sound 0f the receiving instrument S in a manner well understood.

For the purpose of rewinding or replacing the pattern-strip I, or of repeating a word or sentence thereupon when desired, I provide a device for reversing the motion of the reel H, which at the same time releases the patternstrip from the pressure of the jockey-wheel L `and the key K, and also prevents the latter from closing the circuit of the battery O. This device consists of an L- shaped lever, T,

pivoted within the caseAbymeansof a screw, t. A bent arm or handle, t', extends from the end of this lever upward through a slot, a,in the case A, for the purpose of affording convenient means for operating the same. The opposite end of the L- shaped lever T carries a right-angled rod or arm, t2, the free end of which extends through a slot, a2, in the case A. 'The upwardly-projecting end of the rod t2, while normally out of the path of the key K, engages the same when the lever is in the position represented in Fig. 3 and prevents it from touching the pattern-strip I or the contact-screw N. A similar bent arm, t3, is attached to the lever at a pointbetween the rod t2 and the fulcrum tand extends through a slot, a2. The function of the arm t3 is to engage the arm l' and remove the jockey-roller L from contact with the pattern-strip I when the instrument is in the position shown in Fig. 3.

For the purpose ot increasing the tension of the belt or cord h4 when it is desired t0 revolve the reel H in a reverse direction to rewind the pattern-strip, I provide a third pulley, J, which is supported in the same plane with the pulleys h and h2 by means of a iexible arm, j, extending from the lever T, and is normally out of contact with the belt h4. This pulley is carried against the cord by the movement of the lever-handle t toward the right, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby increasing the tension of the same sufliciently to cause the rotary motion of the pulley h to be imparted to the pulley h3 and the reel H. The relative positions of the arms t2 and t3 are such that by moving the lever-handle t toward the right the jockey-wheel L and thel key K will be simultaneously thrown back from the pattern-strip, which will thereupon be rewound upon the reel through the influence of the increased tension of the belt h4 upon the pulley h3. Thus the student who is learning to interpret the sounds produced upon a receiving-instrument by different letters and words transmitted -in the conventional telegraphic alphabet may vary the rapidity with which the signals are automatically transmitted according to`the prociency which he has acquired,.and may also cause any required letter, word, or sentence to be repeated, when necessary, with great convenience and facility.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a pattern-strip, a transmitting-key actuated by said pattern-strip, a motor, and independent devices for imparting an advance and a retrograde movement respectively from said motor to said patternstrip.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a pattern-strip, a transmitting-key actuated by said pattern-strip, a motor, independent devices for communicating an advance and a retrograde movement respectively from the motor to the pattern- IOO strip, and-means for throwing either of said devices into action and the yother simultaneously out of action, as set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a pattern-strip, a transmitting-key actuated'by said pattern-strip,'a revolving r'eel, amotor, independent devices .for temporarily imparting an advance and al retrograde movement respectively from said motor to said pattern-strip and reel, and means for removing said key from said pattern-strip during` the retrograde movement. 4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a pattern-strip, a transmitting-key actuated by said pattern-strip, a motor, independent devices for imparting an advance and a retrograde movement respectively from said motor to the pattern-strip, and an adjustable device for varying the rate of speed of the pattern-strip while the `latter is actuating the key.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a pattern-strip, a transmitting-key actuated by said pattern-strip, a motor for imparting motion to said patternstrip, a friction-plate, one or more frictionpads attached to an axis of said motor, and an adjustable cam for regulating the pressure of said friction pad or pads against said frictionplate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day o'f May, A. D. 1882.

HENRY VAN HOEVENBERGH.

Witnesses:

MILLER G. EARL, CHARLES A. TERRY. 

